Usually with a holiday or break from work, the mind and body thinks sun, sand and far far away, and a “stay-cation” in Ireland doesn’t typically fit this criteria. Gladly our pre-judgments were proven wrong and our trip to Northern Ireland was just the cure we needed. You just need to prepare for all kinds of weather! We spent 6 days traveling by car from Dublin to Northern Ireland and back along the West to Galway in March 2017.

Day 1 – Newgrange to Rostrevor

The Megalithic Tomb of Newgrange

After a short drive (~40mins) from Dublin airport to Newgrange we arrived at the Megalithic Tomb. This prehistoic monument was built during the Neolithic period ~3200BC consisting of a large circular mound with an inner passage tomb. Entrance was 7e pps and included a bus to the passage tomb and a guided tour/entrance into the tomb. It is pretty small inside but markings are still visible on the stone. Our guide Paul gave us a good explanation about the tomb and the experience of seeing what the tomb looks like on the shortest day of the year (21st Dec) – Winter Solstice. As there is no scientific evidence or history books that tell us what this tomb was used for, it is up to you to decide and speculate.

An hours drive took us to Rostrevor in Co. Down, chosen as it sits beside the Mourne Mountains. We were made feel very welcome by the staff in the Rostrevor Inn (£70/76e incl breakfast) and decided to have dinner in the Inn and it was amazing.

Day 2 – Rostrevor, Mourne Mountains to Belfast

After another delicious meal (pancakes with bacon), day 2 was set to be our active day, a climb around the Mourne Mountains.

The Mourne Mountains

A lovely park, Kilbroney, signals you are at the right place. We parked up at the first carpark we arrived at but there is another carpark further along which will save you a walk! There are a number of trails to choose from, we criss-crossed a number of times through the trials. We had a great morning and afternoon walking around, climbing Slieve Martin and taking plenty of pictures at Cloughmore stone (30 tonne granite boulder) which is said to have been thrown there by a giant from the Cooley Mountains, on the other side of Carlingford Lough, if you are to believe local legend!

Our picnic spot on top of the Mourne Mountains

One of the many beautiful vistas from the Mourne Mountains

The Journey to Belfast

That evening we drove to Belfast (~50mins) and after one wrong turn and a not so leisurely drive through the city we made it to our hotel for the night – Ibis Hotel Castle Street (78e/85e excl breakfast). Be sure to park in the right car park, Europarks in this instance and not Castle Court. Europarks was discounted by the hotel and cost £6 for 24hrs whereas for our 2 hour stay in Castle Court we were charged £3.5!

Our next mission was where to eat and after sometime spent peering in through windows at menus, we settled on a restaurant called “Home”. Definitely recommend! Started as a pop up in 2011 and still remains, as of 2017. We ended our night with a stroll around the city under the watchful light of the street-lamps.

Belfast City Hall at night

Day 3 – Belfast: Titanic and Black Cabs

Titanic

We had pre-booked tickets to the Titanic museum (£17.50/19e pp) for a morning slot so we had an early walk from our hotel to the Titantic district. The museum is very interesting, interactive and even emotional along the way. Hearing survivor testimonials, seeing the differences in living conditions between the classes and checking the passenger list for relatives names were very poignant moments during the tour.

The workman ship that went into building the White Star Liners  Olympic, Titanic and Britannic was commendable. As part of the ticket price we also visited the restored version of the SS Nomadic, former tender of the White Star Line, which was yet another way to experience live on-board the Titanic. Its a must do when visiting Belfast.

Onboard the S.S. Nomadic

Black Taxi Tour

Black Taxi tours of the political and mural history of Belfast was the next part of the day. This cost £5/5.5e for collection from the Titanic museum and the ~90min tour cost £35/38e for two. This tour brought us past both sides of the peace wall to Shankill and along the Falls Road where various murals depict equally threatening messages. Learning about the significance of the murals, the history of the troubles and a snippet of real life during those times and to a lesser extent now, was eye opening.  After the tour a bit of retail therapy was needed and soon after we were off again to our next stop – Dark Hedges.

Dark Hedges

As Alan is an avid fan of Game of Thrones we couldn’t miss the opportunity to visit the Dark Hedges in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim. A road lane lined with Beech Trees is an essential stop for all GoT fans. After taking plenty pictures we set off for Ballintoy.

Dark Hedges from Game of Thrones!

We stayed in Welcome Rest Bed and Breakfast (£63.50/69e incl breakfast) in Ballintoy and had a full house to ourselves for the night. Perfect!

Day 4 – Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Giants Causeway and Derry

From our B&B the Carrick-a-Rede Rope bridge was only 4.5km and Giants Causeway 8.5km away so our morning activities were pre-determined.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope bridge

Entry to the rope bridge was £7/6.5e pp. Expensive for what it is but we got some cool photos! The bridge stands a staggering 30m above the Atlantic Ocean so hold on to your belongings while crossing!

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

The Giants Causeway

Next stop was the Giants Causeway which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, generated as a result of volcanic and geological activity many many years ago. Entrance into the Giants Causeway visitor centre and car-park was £10.50 / 11.50e pp however you can access the Causeway and walks for free if you park along the road. As part of the price we enjoyed an audio guide of the Causeway and some folklore about the coastline and different rock formations. We spent about 3 hours walking the different trails and along the many stepping stones whilst admiring the beautiful scenery. It is well worth the visit. The visitor centre is especially nice for kids with its interactive activities and movie about the giant, Fionn Mac Cumhaill.

The Giants Causeway

Derry City

An approximate 1.15hr drive took us from Giants Causeway to Derry city. We stayed in a lovely B&B in a really good location – Amore Bed and Breakfast. We walked around the city to soak up the green atmosphere thanks to the St Patrick Day festival preparations.  Derry is a fascinating city with plenty of history but also compact enough to walk around and see in 1 or 2 days. We crossed over the peace bridge, strolled along the 17th-century walls that encircle the city, visited a few of the shopping centres and experienced my first drink in Wetherspoons!!

One of the many murals you can find in Derry

Day 5 – Derry and Glenveagh National Park

Day 5 was also St Patrick’s day and so enjoyed a Paddy’s styled breakfast which included shamrock shaped potato cakes and a full Irish fry up!  To learn about Derry’s history we went on a walking tour with Martin McCrossan City Walking Tours (£4 /4.30e pp).

Martin McCrossan City Walking Tours

This tour gave a good insight into the walls and the history of the troubles in Derry. Afterwards we visited the Guildhall which is a striking building with stained glass windows and contains a very insightful exhibition about plantation time. Definitely recommend visiting this exhibition.

As we had a long drive to Donegal planned, we left before the parade was in full swing. Next stop was Glenveagh National Park (Derry to Glenveagh ~1hr drive). Unfortunately the rain had set in for the day and after getting soaked from walking from the car to the visitor centre, we reluctantly retreated back on the road to Teelin (~1.30hr).

Teelin

We stayed in Slieve League House B&B (£41/45e incl breakfast!) chosen due its close proximity to the Slieve League Cliffs, however it is quiet remote. We met some of the locals in John the Minors Bar in Carrick (nearest town) and happily listened to some traditional music for the night.

Day 6 –  Slieve League and Home

Slieve League

There is nothing like a climb in the morning to start the day, especially when its 600m above the raging Atlantic Ocean. This is a beautiful climb with staggering views and luckily we witnessed some of these breathtaking vistas from the top before the fog and mist landed, forcing us to turn back. With tired legs we returned to the car to head for home.

Slieve League

We returned to Galway after an unforgettable trip around Northern Ireland and Donegal. We were kept engaged by spectacular landscapes and learning more about its difficult history. Ireland has so much to offer, so get exploring!